Hay-ricker.



PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

H. B. ZIMMERMAN.

HAY RIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1906.

8mg 3 Zzmarnn, 1 W111" T0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAY-RICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed March 13, 1906- Serial N0. 305,910.

To (1 111710712 it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. ZIMMER- AN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Raymond, in the county of Kandiyohi and State of Minnesota,have invented a new and useful Hay-Richer, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to hay rickers or loaders, and its object is toprovide a device of this character having a fork of novel constructionto raise hay or other material to a desired point, whereupon the samewill be discharged automatically, thus permitting the operator toproperly build the hay-stack.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of abase having side beams pivoted thereto and provided at their upper endswith a stationary fork-section. Another fork-section is pivoted to thefirstmentioned section and is normally supported at right angles theretoby resilient means provided for that purpose. An actuatingbeam ispivotally mounted upon the base and connected to the forks so as toswing the side beams to a desired angle in relationto the base. Thisbeam is adapted to be actuated by any suitable power. Adjustable meansare also employed for causing the swinging fork-section to automaticallydischarge the load after the fork reaches a predetermined position.

The im'ention also consists of certain other novel features ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter morefully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of theinvention.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device inposition to receive material prior to discharging it upon a stack, andFig. 2 is a side elevation showing the position assumed when the load isbeing discharged.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 1 are the sides ofthe base of the loader, and 2 and 3 are the end beams which are securedthereon, said side beams being preferably beveled at their ends, so asto facilitate dragging the loader from place to place. A cross-rod 4 issecured upon the side beams 1 near the forward end thereof andconstitutes the pivot of the fork-frame. This frame is formed withupstanding beams 5, connected at their u per ends by cross-stri s 6, andsecured on t ese cross-strips are t e fingers 7, constituting thestationary section of the fork. A series of connected fingers 8 ispivoted to the lower ends of fingers 7, and rods 9 are pivotallyconnected to the fingers 8 and slide within guides 10, extendinglaterally from the beams 5. Coiled springs 11 are disposed upon the rods9 and hear at opposite ends on the guides 10 and the movablefork-section 8, respectively. These springs serve to normall hold themovable fork-section substantialfy at right angles tothe fingers 7.Holdback ropes or cables 12 extend from the lower ends of the rods 9 andare adjustably fastened in any desired manner to a beam 13, which ispivotally mounted on the rear end beam 3 and is adapted to hold theropes 12 normally taut.

An actuating-lever 14 is disposed upon the .base and projects throughthe fork-frame 5.

This lever consists of converging pairs of uprights 15, said pairs beingspaced apart at their upper ends by a connecting-strip 16, so as to givethe actuating-lever a triangular appearance. The connecting-strip 16thereof is attached to the side beams 5 by means of rods 17, and apulley 18 is secured to the lower end of this connecting-strip 16 andalso to the center of the front end strip 2. A cable 19 is secured tosaid end strip 2 and extends around the pulleys. Its free end is adaptedto be attached to any suitable power. In using the apparatus hereindescribed the fork is swung downward into position adjacent the rear endbeam 3 and a quantity of hay or other material to be stacked is placedupon the fork between the two sections thereof. Horses can then beconnected to the cable at 19 and when driven forward will swing thelever 14' downward. An upward pull will therefore be exerted upon thefork and its frame by the rods 17 and the forksections will be carriedto a predetermined elevation, whereu on the ropes 12 will become tautand pu l downward on the rods 9. This will result in the pivotedfork-sections swinging downward so as to discharge the materialtherefrom. The downward movement of the fork-section 8 will of coursetension the springs 11. As soon as the load has been discharged in thismanner the parts can be returned to their original position by pressingbackward on the fork-frame until the parts have passed the center ofgravity. Of course as soon as the ropes 12 become slack the springs 1 1return the movable forksection to its original position. By lengtheningor shortening the ropes 12 the fork can be caused to discharge its loadat predetermined points during its u ward movement.

If desired, chains may e connected to the ends of the rods 9 and may beadjustably connected to hooks upon the side beams 5, so as to limit orprevent movement of the rods, as may be deemed necessary.

By means of mechanism such as herein described a load of hay can bestacked at any desired point and the material carried by the fork can beaccurately discharged at predetermined oints, so as to permit theoperator to proper y build the stack. The pivoted beam 13 serves to keepthe ropes 12 normally taut, so as to prevent them from becomingentangled in any parts of the mechanism.

I claim A 1. A device of the character described comprising a base, afork-frame pivotally supported upon the base, a statlonary forksectionsecured on the frame, a pivoted forksection upon the frame, a resi ientsupport for said pivoted section, means for swinging the frame upon thebase, and means for automatically swinging the pivoted fork-section tounload at predetermined points.

2. The combination with a base; of a fork frame pivotally supportedthereon, means for swinging the frame upward from the base, afork-section rigidly connected to the frame, a fork-section pivotallyconnected to the frame, a resilient support for said pivoted section andadjustable means for automatically swinging the pivoted fork-section atpredetermined points during the upward movement of the frame.

3. The combination with a base; of a forkframe pivoted thereon, meansfor swinging the frame u ward from the base, a fork-section pivotallyconnected to the frame, a resilient support therefor and adjustablemeans for contracting the support at predetermined points during themovement of the atoms frame to swing the fork-section into unload-- ingposition.

4. The combination with abase; of a forkframe pivoted thereon, means forswinging said frame upward from the base, a fork-section pivoted uponthe frame, guide-rods depending therefrom, resilient fork-sup ortsmounted on the rods, and an adjustable lioldback device connected to therods.

5. The combination with a base; of a forkframe pivoted thereon, meansfor swinging the frame upward from the base, a pivoted fork-sectionmounted on the frame, a resilient support for said section and aholdback device'adjustably connected to the base for actuating thepivoted fork-section at predetermined points during the upward movementof the frame.

6. The combination with a base; of a forkframe pivoted thereon, meansfor swinging the frame u ward from the base, a fork-section pivote uponthe frame, guide-rods depending therefrom, resilient fork-supports uponthe rods, a holdback for tensioning the supports and actuating thefork-section at a predetermined point during the upward movement of theframe.

7. The combination with a base; of a forkframe pivoted thereon, meansfor swinging the frame u ward from the base, a fork-section pivote uponthe frame, guide-rods dependlng therefrom, resilient fork-supports uponthe rods, aflexible holdback connected to the rods and adapted totension the s ring and actuate the fork-section at a pre etermined pointduring the upward movement of the frame, and means for maintaining saidholdback taut.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY B. ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses: I

F. O. ORTH, H. N. ASHLEY.

